The Biomedical Cluster in Skolkovo, Russia aims to transform Russia's pharmaceutical market into a multi-billion dollar industry by 2020. It brings together international and Russian scientists and companies to conduct cutting-edge medical research. Over 100 companies have already joined the cluster. The cluster will focus on clinical medicine, biomedical sciences, and bioinformatics to develop innovations that improve healthcare worldwide. It establishes Russia as a global hub for life sciences research.

1. Media Factsheet
kit
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Biomedical Cluster
Biomedical Factsheet
Russia has more doctors,
hospitals and healthcare
workers per capita than any
other country in the world, but
both its medical research and
native pharmaceutical market
are underdeveloped. The
Biomedical Cluster is designed
to help transform Russia’s
pharmaceutical market into a
multi-billion dollar industry by
2020 by attracting the biggest
names in medical research.
the global context, but also are informed We also have strong support from a wide variety
By fostering an ecosystem of excellence around by the standards of best practice in leading of public and private partners within the Russian
biotechnology and medical technology, the scientific centres around the world. Thus, our Federation. The Ministry of Health and Social
Skolkovo Innovation Centre’s Biomedical Cluster cluster will prioritise the following sectors Development, the Ministry of Industry and Trade
has put in motion a process that aspires to build of activity: and the Ministry of Economic Development number
global market leaders in the life sciences industry. among our partners as do major players from
This cluster of leading international scientists • Clinical medicine & healthcare
Russia’s biomedical industry including RVC and
using the latest facilities and techniques will • Biomedical & life sciences RUSNANO. It is through the construction of this
enable us to produce cutting-edge research that • Bioinformatics dynamic ecosystem of Russian and international
leads to innovative technologies, instruments and companies, universities and public bodies that
services that will help improve the quality of The cluster will not only facilitate the design we can truly achieve our vision and form a global
healthcare worldwide. and implementation of innovative research innovation hub.
within these categories, but it will also strongly
support the entire commercialisation process to
Global Context transform technology from the laboratory into Leading the Way
Russia, as with other countries in the marketable world-class goods and services. The cluster is administrated by a strong
industrialised world, is facing multiple challenges international team of professionals with scientific
including increasing demand on healthcare, the Community of Talent and administrative backgrounds in life science, the
transformation and globalisation of industry, pharmaceutical industry and academia. The team
and the pressure of international competition The Biomedical Cluster brings leading international oversees the development strategy of the cluster,
for the best brains in order to fuel knowledge- and Russian scientists together with entrepreneurs identifies partners for creating the necessary
driven economies. Russia’s biomedical industry and venture capital funds. Cluster partners will infrastructure, and supports and guides applicants
accounts for only 0.2% of the world market have at their disposal an array of cutting-edge who wish to become participants.
and many Russian companies currently need to equipment, infrastructure and business services.
conduct their research abroad. 110 companies including Johnson & Johnson, its
pharmaceutical branch Janssen Pharmaceutica, “Thanks to support from the
and EMC have already joined the cluster which
Challenges & Priorities each week receives additional applications for Skolkovo Fund we can continue
To meet the challenges and reinforce corporate participation. working at an even higher intensity
Russia’s global performance in the sector, the
Biomedical Cluster aspires to create a global
Our cluster is also rapidly developing strategic on creating new medicines to treat
partnerships with leading universities and
research hub in Skolkovo to develop new research institutes around the world. This truly serious, previously untreatable
and innovative solutions to current and future global network includes: diseases, and prolong human life
health challenges. At the same time it seeks
to commercialise the innovations and to build a • Harvard Medical School and increase its quality at any
network/ecosystem of excellence tapping into • Weizmann Institute of Science age, including very old age.”
expertise from around the world. • European Molecular Biology Laboratories (EMBL)
Aleksander Kovalenko
To accomplish this mission, the cluster has • Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular CEO of the Institute of Biological Medicine
identified R&D priorities that not only reflect Medicine (Berlin)
The Skolkovo Foundation
The Skolkovo Foundation has the mandate from the Russian Government to help accelerate the transformation
of Russia from a resource-intensive to an innovation-based economy through strategic partnerships with leading
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Skolkovo IT
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Energy
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Space
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Nuclear
scientists and corporations (currently numbering over 400 companies and start ups). The Foundation aims to
strengthen the links between Russian and international science, technology, education, entrepreneurship and
investment communities. To achieve this objective it is overseeing the creation of the Skolkovo Innovation
Centre composed of five R&D clusters, a Technopark, the Skolkovo Institute of Technology (a new graduate
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research university established in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and Skolkovo
Biomedical City, located near Moscow. Together these entities will establish a vibrant eco-system of technological
innovation and entrepreneurship. The Foundation is a non-profit organisation founded in May 2010 by the
Factsheet Russian Government with a grant of $5 billion.
www.sk.ru/en For more information: http://www.sk.ru/en/